


Furs and Scales

by thespinningmeanie



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Donkeyskin!AU, F/M, Incest triggers, Mentions of incest
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-14
Updated: 2018-04-04
Packaged: 2019-03-31 03:25:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13966332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thespinningmeanie/pseuds/thespinningmeanie
Summary: Princess Belle of Avonlea has called upon the Dark One to help her escape the marriage her father imposed on her.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Rumbelle version of Donkeyskin

“No! I will not marry you!” she shouted, letting everyone in the throne room know how cross she was. 

“But Belle I made a vow on your mother’s deathbed and this is the only way to fulfill it,” her father, the king, insisted. 

“The only way? You can rule without a queen, Papa. Many royals have done it and their kingdoms survived.” She felt tears welling in her eyes as she became more frustrated at her father’s insistence. “What you want is immoral and I will not consent to it.” 

“Child, what we’re insisting is for the good of the kingdom. And here I thought you cared about the people.” The high priest standing at her father’s side nonchalantly spoke. “Clearly you don’t.”

The snake! How dare he play on her compassion. Belle was fuming, but she tried to keep a tight hold on her temper.  If she spoke the wrong words, they would take away her choice and have the wedding take place right now. 

“Clerics are supposed to spread holiness, but it seems your ambition is more important than making my father see reason in this madness.” She spat venomously at the high priest. 

The order of clerics looked offended and rushed to the defense of their high priest. 

“Enough!” The king’s voice echoed in the room, silencing them all. “Belle.”

“Forgive my insolence, your majesty, but don’t be surprised if one day you may no longer find me in this castle.” She turned her back and left her father to stew over her words. 

She had just passed the door when she heard the high priest screech, ordering the knights to seize her. Red-faced and eyes bulging, he demanded that the wedding take place now before she had the chance to escape. 

Belle started to run, her mind racing with possible places she could hide.  She looked back and saw the captain of the guards protest at the given orders, just this once she appreciated that Gaston fancied himself in love with her otherwise he would have obeyed without question. 

Unconsciously her feet treaded  a familiar path. Once her head cleared she noticed the direction she was heading... It was her favorite place -- the library — and it held the answer to her dilemma. She knew it was impossible to outrun them so she took a secret path she discovered when she was a child. The path led directly inside the library, the passage was hidden from sight by one of the shelves. From her hiding place she heard her would-be captors bypass the library after one cleric checked in to see if she was inside. Her chest rose and fell with rapid breaths, she hid for another minute in case someone decided to come back before she emerged from her hiding place. 

Belle slammed the door shut and pushed a couch towards it to bar the entrance. She felt dizzy and suffocated, but she shook her head and rushed to the shelves - looking for a particular book.

It was madness, but he was her only hope. 

Her mother died from an illness three months ago, and the whole kingdom continued to grieve for their loss, but no one took it harder than her father. At her mother’s deathbed, her father vowed to never marry again unless the bride surpassed the late queen in every way. Only a month had passed before his councilors have begun suggesting for him to look for a new bride, but her father refused to break his vow. Nevertheless, his councilors  started bringing in noble-born ladies to present to the king. The clerics also pestered him; the high priest always by his side - whispering in his ear. She knew that the high priest was nothing but ambitious, and had taken advantage of the king’s state of mind. 

“Aha! Found you.” Belle flipped the book open, and she scanned the pages until she found the name she was looking for. 

Belle hesitated, but then she heard voices coming from the hallway, prompting her to hurry. 

“Rumplestiltskin. Rumplestiltskin. Rumplestiltskin.”

The air changed around her and the voices subsided. She heard someone bang on the doors, and Belle whirled around as she clutched the book to her chest. She walked towards the door slowly. 

“Well, that was a bit of a letdown.” A shrilling voice came from behind. 

“W-Who are you.”

“You’ve summoned me, did you not?” 

She was breathing hard as the imp addressed her, and the first thing that crossed her mind was that he didn’t look terrifying like the books painted him to be. Composing herself, she took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. Belle raised her chin and met his gaze. 

“Rumplestiltskin.” The imp introduced himself, he held out his hands and gave her a courtly bow. 

She curtsied and he tilted his head at her. “I summoned you.” 

“Yes, you have, and what do you desire, dearie? He  strutted towards her, circling her like she was his prey. “Riches, a handsome husband -“

“Escape.” She cut him off. “I need to escape from here.”

Rumplestiltskin could sense the desperation coming from her. He saw tears gather in her eyes as she struggled to breathe. 

He grabbed her by the arms to steady her. “Breathe, dearie.”

“M-My father...” She began saying and he nodded for her to continue. 

“He...He wishes to marry me.”

He froze, shocked from what she had told him, it caused him to let go of her. 

“C-Come again, dearie?” He had lived for three hundred years and no mortal had been able to shock him like this. 

She sniffed before directing her gaze at him. “My father wishes to marry me, and the high priest and clerics, along with his counselors, support him.”

She was crying in earnest now as the Dark One stared at her incredulously. Everything that happened in the past few days was too much for Belle and so she let herself succumb to fatigue. 

The girl lost her balance and Rumplestiltskin stepped forward to catch her in his arms. He carried her and lay her on the chaise lounge. He proceeded to cast protective spells in the library. Once he finished he returned to her side. He gently pressed his fingers to her forehead - checking if a fever had caused her to faint.  Whatever it was that caused her distress was the reason why she summoned him. He cast another protective spell around her before teleporting out of the library, intent on investigating the little kingdom by the sea.

With a flick of his wrist, the doors opened. Outside the clerics ceased their banging and froze on the spot, the knights accompanying them recovered quickly and prepared to thrust the swords in their hands at the imp. Rumplestiltskin merely waved his hand and turned them into snails, reminding himself to alter their memories once he changed them back. He cloaked himself with an invisibility spell and headed towards the throne room, the first time he laid eyes on the girl he could tell she was noble of birth. 

On his way to the throne room he heard the servants gossiping and from what he  gathered he surmised that the king was vain to make that vow. He slipped inside and placed himself by the side of the king opposite the high priest. 

“Your highness, please do not be upset. Once my clerics have caught the princess I will talk to her myself and have her reasonably agree to marry you.” the high priest spoke in a reverent tone.

Rumplestiltskin clenched his fists at his side, it took all of his will not to appear before them to reveal that he’d been summoned by the princess before he turned them into snails and crushed them with the heel of his boot. When the girl told him that her father wishes to marry her he merely took it as an effect of being shocked when she saw him but now, witnessing it himself he simply wished to whisk the girl away from here and take her with him. He drew in a long breath as he walked outside the throne room, a plan formed in his mind. 

 

* * *

 

Belle slowly opened her eyes as she stretched to rid the knots in her back. She wondered why she had fallen asleep on the chaise longue in the library before she remembered what she had done prior to fainting.

“I thought princesses didn’t snore.”

Belle whipped her head round and saw the Dark One seated in an armchair, halfheartedly turning the pages of a book. 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to -“

“You’re not going to run screaming that you’ve been ravished by the beast?”

“Would my dress still be intact if you had ravished me?” she shot back. “Besides, the book is inaccurate.”

“How so?” She eyed him incredulously, she was surprised to find him there with her. He was very different from what the book described him to be. The book never said that his skin changed color as the light touched him - from mottled gray to greenish gold and how expressive his eyes were. 

He coughed to gain her attention and she smiled sheepishly at him, remembering he had asked a question.

“You’re short.” 

She noticed his eyes twinkle in amusement, his lips twitched slightly. 

“Why have you summoned me, princess?” he asked as he stood. 

“How long have I been asleep?” She needed to know how much time had passed and why no one had discovered her in the library since she had run from the throne room. 

“Two hours at most.” She hadn’t notice him moving towards her until warm fingers gently grazed her jaw as he coiled a lock of her hair in his fingers. “Now, answer my question.”

She tilted her head, making his hand cup her cheek as she gazed into his reptilian eyes. “Surely you didn’t spent two hours listening to me snore.” He chuckled and caressed her cheek before pulling away. She immediately missed his warmth. 

“The next time you see your father, tell him that you would only give your consent to marry him,” He raised his hand to stall her protest. “Once he fulfills four of your conditions. Three of them will be to provide you with a dress. The first dress must be as silver as the moon.”

“And if he asks for the other two?”

“A caveat of yours is to only tell the next color of the dresses once he succeeds in procuring the first one.” 

She looked at him warily. 

“If he does procure it, you only need to call upon me once and I will be by your side.” He gave her a stiff nod before walking away. 

“Wait.” He stopped in his tracks and looked back at her. “What’s the price for you assistance?”

“Our deal is different, princess. Only when I know that I have truly helped you escape will I reveal my price to you.” 

Belle felt the air change as a crimson smoke enveloped him, the surroundings smelled of spice and magic. 


	2. Chapter 2

The doors to the great hall opened as Rumplestiltskin walked through. He could’ve teleported himself directly here but he chose to brace the snowy mountains surrounding the Dark Castle to cool his head off - which proved to be futile. Unfortunately, even his spinning wheel wouldn’t give him the comfort he needs. As much as he desired to simply turn King Maurice into a snail and squash him with the heel of his boot he’s forbidden from doing it - no, there is no one stopping him but himself.

Years ago, he had a vision. A maiden dressed in silver, blue, and gold. In the vision he would dance with the maiden for three consecutive nights. For the first two nights she would escape him but on the third she stayed as he requested. The maiden’s face was never revealed to him. Until now. He never thought that it would be _her_ . That it would be _Belle_ \- idiot, it’s Princess Belle to you. Just because you’re friends -

“Best friends, Rum.” he remembered her amending him, gently and amused, when he forgets.

Well, Belle had befriended him and he was hopeless to refuse but Belle knew him as the advisor to King George not the Dark One, the imp famous in dealmakings.

They had met three years ago. Belle had accompanied her father on his visit to King George’s kingdom. Apparently the two monarchs go way back and aside from a meeting concerning trade routes they have decided to unite their kingdoms through marriage between their children - Prince James and Princess Belle. He vividly remembered how that announcement had gone and he knew it was the day he had begun to admire Belle.

The two monarchs were in the war room devoid of King George’s counselors except him who remained hidden in the shadows. They agreed that Maurice would be the one to announce the engagement once James and Belle arrived. And arrive they did, Maurice kept hedging - the fool thought he was subtle and George lost his patience and decided to be blunt.

“In three years the two of you are to be married.” he said - well, it was more of a command, in Rumplestiltskin’s opinion.

All Maurice could do was nod as Prince James enthusiastically agreed while trying to reach for Belle’s hand - that smarmy git! It took all of his will to remain hidden instead of unleashing his wrath on the brat. All thoughts of torture left him when Belle spoke.

“No one decides my fate but me.” she held her head high as she spoke to the two monarchs defiantly. She  looked both of them in the eye before turning away to walk out of the room.

She left all the men in the war room speechless but he recovered first. He teleported himself from the room and into the room where Belle was headed. He only waited for ten minutes and the doors to the library slammed open.

He could hear Belle muttering to herself and he decided to announce his presence.

“I did tell them that having an equal control of the trade routes was a better way of showing the unity of their kingdoms.”

Belle abruptly stopped from her pacing and faced him, her face flushed with embarrassment.

“Lord Gold. I did not notice you were here. Forgive me, I was rather preoccupied.”

“No need to apologize, dearie, I did startle you. Continue on plotting ways to hammer sense into your father’s head. The gods knows it’s difficult with George, no wonder they gave me that task.” he quipped and that earned him a smile.

“Tell me a story then. Where have you been the past week, Rum?” she gushed as she rest a hand on his arm and pulled him to sit with her on the chaise longue.

“Wouldn’t it be more fun to plot against the kings? I’d gladly commit treason with you.” he teased and grinned lopsidedly.

‘Oh, hush.” she rolled her eyes at him. “You’re just distracting me from my objective.”

“Isn’t it to pummel some sense into your father?” he hedged knowing exactly what she was referring to.

“No.” Belle giggled and admonished him cheekily. “You are telling me a story while I hide in our sanctuary.”

He sighed, “Alright, you nosy girl,” and he began recounting his travels and all the while Belle held his hand in hers.

Of course, storytelling was cut short when Maurice disturbed them - he added another offense in the never ending list of why he hates the monarch.

The mere thought of the monarch turned his mood sour and tore all the cheerfulness he felt from his reminiscence.

Fathers are supposed to love their children, support them, put them first, but certainly not marry them! Rumplestiltskin seethed -

“Rumple, my man, what are you talking to yourself about?”

Apparently he had shouted that out loud and it seemed  there was an interloper in his castle.

“Jefferson.” he snarled as he turned to face the man, who he found eating a biscuit and drinking tea - using a cup from his tea set.

Jefferson shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly and continued eating. He was aware of the raging imp but he had gotten so used to Rumple’s outburst that it made him unfazed right now.

“It looks like you might need an ear to shout at. So here I am, at your service!”

Rumple remained standing where he was but Jefferson noticed his hands tightened into fists.

“Leave.” He bellowed and walked pass Jefferson.

Jefferson immediately put down his cup and followed Rumple outside the great hall. The path the imp headed to was the tower. It seems Rumple remembered what he came here for after all -

Jefferson was almost near the door when it slammed back into his face. Luckily he hadn’t taken another step otherwise it would have been goodbye to his devilish good looks. From the door slamming he had concluded two things. First was that Rumple must’ve forgotten that he had written a letter informing the imp that he would be visiting today. Second, whatever it was that had put the imp in that temper had something to do with Belle.

And gods! If it still had something to do with the mutual pining between Rumple and Belle he swore he would take drastic measures to ensure that they finally confessed to each other. He would even offer to officiate their wedding and be a godfather to their firstborn.

Yes, he had a wedding plan for those two dorks. He even had a list of names for their future children!

Enough of that! He was getting distracted again - what he came for seemed less important if what Rumple is seething about concerns Belle. Fathers. Children. Marry -

“Rumple! Open up!” he didn’t care if he got skinned for doing this. “Where is Belle?”

Rumple opened the door suddenly and the force Jefferson exerted on his banging made him stumble inside.

His eyes burned with rage and Jefferson gulped, praying to every god of every different culture from every realm he had ever jumped into.

“Belle.” he heard Rumple spoke reverently and that made him calm down enough until -

“Is in Avonlea with an unwanted marriage imposed upon her!” Rumple roared and broke an empty beaker by throwing it at the wall.

“Oh, with James.” Jefferson blurted out, slowly backing away and trying to escape the imp’s line of sight.

“No.” Rumple hissed.

“No?” Jefferson echoed but his tone was questioning.

“Maurice. The vain fool. Wants to marry Belle. To fulfill the vow he made on her mother’s death bed.”

“C-come again?” Jefferson stammered and he recognized the change in Rumple’s magic. It was different from usual - well it felt heavier, darker.

Jefferson ducked in time as Rumple unleashed his magic that caused the windows in the room to smash.

When the sound of broken glass faded into silence Jefferson slowly opened his eyes to survey the room. Rumple stood at the center of the room breathing heavily.

“Well, why not just whisk Belle away?” as soon as he mumbled that Jefferson covered his mouth with both hands. Cursing himself for having such a loose tongue.

“You know I can’t.” Rumple whispered hoarsely, his tone defeated but Jefferson heard a bit of determination in there. He didn’t say anything else but waited for the imp to continue speaking.

“Belle is the maiden.”

“The one in your visions? H-how do you plan on helping her then?” Wait. This is a lot to take in. But Rumple told him that the maiden - Belle danced with him while he was using the facade of Lord Gold. Jefferson was deep inside his head trying to piece things together he didn’t notice Rumple talking to him.

“I beg your pardon?” he croaked, praying that Rumple wouldn’t get mad at him.

“All dresses must be made, along with the coat.” Rumple declared as he waved his hand to repair the damage he has done. “You will report to me the progress of the seamstress Maurice will hire.”

“But how would they help Belle?”

“I told her that she would only consent to her father’s wishes once he complied to four of her conditions. Three of those conditions is that Maurice must give her a dress as silver as the moon, one that manifests the brightness of stars, and the last dress must be as golden as the sun.”

“And the last condition?” It was no use asking Rumple why the king wouldn’t be stumped by the third dress. The most beautiful gold in all the realms are the ones he spun there was no way he would provide the gold. Or would he?

“A coat of furs from all of the animals in the realm.”

“That’s not possible.”

“It is. I saw Belle wear all of the dresses and the coat in my vision.”

“But if you know that those conditions are do-able why offer them as solutions to her at all?” He was getting impatient why won’t Rumple just tell him what he meant to -

Oh.

Rumplestiltskin watched as a dawn of recognition fell upon Jefferson’s face. He knew the hatter had understood what he seeks to achieve from doing this.

“Those conditions. You’re following your vision but they would also give you time for you to have the pieces on the board where you want them to be.”

Rumple nodded to confirm the hatter’s assumptions.

“When it’s time to escape Avonlea, Belle’s safety is ensured. She will reach Whitehall without any incident.”

“You mean to help Belle escape and give her the adventure she’s always wanted.” Jefferson babbled unable to contain his excitement.

Rumplestiltskin’s mouth twitched, being able to give Belle what she’s always dreamed of is something he has always wanted to do. He’s not going soft, not really. He’s not going to roam the Enchanted Forest fulfilling wishes like an insufferable fairy. No, he’s doing this for Belle. For Belle only.

Jefferson knew without a doubt that Rumple would make Maurice suffer but that would only happen if Belle would allow it. He knew Belle wouldn’t but Rumple would find a loophole for that.

He sighed and prayed that they would succeed in this plan. He trusted Rumple’s visions but there was nothing bad about being a little bit religious.

 

* * *

  


Belle anxiously paced as she planned to confront her father. When the Dark One left her she had stayed inside the library for a few minutes to compose herself. She took one last glance at the library and went inside the secret path that brought her to the library. Belle preferred making it back to the throne room without any of the guards hauling her there.

For her, everything that had happened in the past hour had been a blur. She congratulated herself for being able to summon the dealmaker but it wasn’t part of her plans to faint when he arrived. Summoning Rumplestiltskin had been her last resort. She wanted to escape Avonlea by herself but she cannot forsake the duty bound to her by the crown. Even if she’s just a princess Belle knows that by leaving Avonlea, her people would suffer at the hands of the ambitious clerics.

Two weeks ago she had written a letter to Rum about her being in distress. She didn’t specify the problem but simply told him of her desperation. She called on the Blue Fairy to help her but the gnat only told her that she was not allowed to interfere with human trivialities. The Blue Fairy’s refusal pushed her into summoning Rumplestiltskin.

She skidded to a stop as she realized that summoning Rumplestiltskin was what her best friend had suggested for her to do all along.

She can’t blame Rum though - their letters have always been vague to ensure that no one is privy to them. The two of them are the only ones who can decode it. However,  Belle has been focused on her fight against her father and the clerics that she must’ve misread his last letter. If there’s anyone she trusted more than herself - it’s Rum.

Belle’s thoughts drifted to the dealmaking imp. He really was different from what the book had told her. When he was with her she can’t help but feel safe. There was a familiarity between them - a connection of sorts.

She knew Rumplestiltskin had magic, it might be possible that they’ve met once. Probably when she escaped the confines of the castle and visited the orphanage her mother was building. Before she could ponder more about the Dark One she noticed that she was right in front of the doors to the throne room.

She nodded at the guards and they complied with her silent request to open the doors. Her father was still seated on his throne and the high priest stood proudly at his side it made her face scrunch up.

Belle set her mouth in a hard line and held her head high, trusting Rumplestiltskin’s plan to work.

“Belle.” her father seemed overjoyed to see her while the high priest looked at her with disdain.

“The marriage you proposed is good for the kingdom.” her lower lip trembled as she gathered her courage to continue.

“Yes, Belle. With you being my queen the kingdom will prosper.” her father said in an awed tone.

I trust Rumplestiltskin - the mantra she kept repeating over and over in her head. Belle swallowed the bile rising from her throat. “If you are able to succeed in fulfilling the four conditions I set forth then I will marry you.”

Her father’s jaw went slack from her declaration and Belle wished that he would ask what the first condition was so she could leave.

In the end it was the high priest who broke the silence that hung over them. “What are these conditions, princess?”

“My first condition is that you must provide me with a dress as silver as the moon.”

The high priest’s eyes narrowed. “And what of the other three?”

“I will only reveal the remaining conditions if the condition prior to it has been fulfilled.” she raised a brow at the high priest. She badly wanted to remind the ambitious snake that he was not the one with power here and if he thought that he could gain it by manipulating her father - well, she’s not going to allow him to do as he please. Not bloody likely.   

“A dress,” her father spoke, his fingers formed a steeple under his chin. “That is your first condition?”

“A dress as silver as the moon is the first condition you must fulfill to have my hand in marriage.”

“Very well. Anything you want will be yours, Belle.” Her father beamed and she gave a small nod before turning  away to leave. From a distance she could hear her father give commands to bring the most talented seamstress in the kingdom.

She took the secret path again to go back to her library - her sanctuary.

Questions ran through her head and she was aware that most of the answers would come from Rumplestiltskin.

Remembering his parting words to her earlier that day she whispered his name. “Rumplestiltskin.”

Rumplestiltskin appeared behind her. He almost called her dearie before remembering that he was not wearing the facade of Lord Gold.

“You called, princess?”

She felt the air around her change and she quickly turned around when he spoke.

Rumple held out his hands to catch Belle from her abrupt turn. He feared she might faint again from the sudden dizziness.

“Is this how we meet all the time, dearie?” Fuck. He saw her eyes widen in surprise at the way he addressed her. Hastily he continued, “You fainting and me - the monster catching a damsel?” That came out harshly than he had expected.

Well, this time her eyes narrowed at him. “You’re not a monster.” He was astonished by what she said. Of course, Belle would see the good in everything. Even now with him appearing as - whatever dark creature he was. She still considered him a man. Then she stepped out of his arms. He had gotten used to Belle being close to him that the small distance made his heart twinge.

“Aye.” he relented as he held his hand on the small of her back and guided her to a seat in the chaise longue. “And you’re not a damsel.”

Belle beamed at him as if she was talking to a friend rather than to the dark creature she had summoned. It was hard to remember that he was the Dark One when he had so many similarities with Rum.

Rumplestiltskin coughed and inclined his head towards her. Silently questioning why he has been summoned.

“I’m sorry. I know you told me to summon you once Papa -” calling him that made her cringe..

He sensed Belle’s discomfort and immediately sat beside her. He held her hand in his as his thumb ran across her knuckles, creating small circles. He hoped his gesture was welcomed and would bring her comfort.

It took Belle a moment to compose herself. She was surprised when she felt the Dark One sit beside her and grab her hand. He was gentle, as if he was afraid that a single touch from him would break her. She entwined their fingers and they basked in the comforting silence that had fallen before them.

She squeezed his hand, muttering her thanks. “It was no matter, dearie.” Even with their hands entwined his thumb continued its soothing ministrations.

Belle gently tugged their hands to get his attention and he gave it to her, it escaped his notice to how close they really were.

“The king agreed that he would fulfill the four conditions I set before him.”

“It’ll take him months before the dress is finished.” he assured her. “Worry not, princess. He’ll not do anything untowards to you, I have made sure he’s preoccupied.”

“Thank you, but please call me Belle. I surmised that we’ll be seeing each other more with the scheming we’re doing.”

He smiled at having the permission to call her by her name. “Belle.”

He went back to the Dark Castle with a light heart. His visit with Belle had made him less cranky than he liked to admit. They had bantered back and forth, and Belle had him distinguish which information about him from the books she had read were facts or fiction. Nosy girl, her curiosity knew no bounds and it endeared her to him more.

His mouth curved upwards as he spun straw into gold. Patiently waiting to be summoned by Belle again.


End file.
